In 2010, David Loyola (Le Chateaubriand) opened Aux Deux Amis with natural wines sourced directly from producers and a simple menu. Long drunk dinners, staff never turning people away even when packed, a lot of standing around. It became the template for every natural wine bar you see now. Places like Bar Seco in LA have explicitly cited it as influence.
In 2011, Anthony Bourdain featured it on the Paris episode of The Layover. His advice to everyone was simple: "eat some fucking cheese and get drunk." It caught the attention of cooler Paris recs, then Substacks of Alison Roman and Blackbird Spyplane. Today people show up to be shoulder to shoulder on the patio alongside decade-old regulars finishing their fourth bottle over lunch. They're all enamored by how fun it is.
